


Like Fire in Our Hands

by excelgesis



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Dom/sub Undertones, M/M, Magic, Porn With Plot, Praise Kink, and i'm going to hell for writing this, hakyeon is a fairy, taekwoon is a hunter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-20 20:41:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14901626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/excelgesis/pseuds/excelgesis
Summary: Taekwoon had been to the Otherworld a dozen times, and it always left him feeling claustrophobic and ill.So it was really no wonder Hakyeon was so entranced by the sky, but Taekwoon never expected to be so entranced by Hakyeon.





	Like Fire in Our Hands

**Author's Note:**

> So I actually wrote and posted this fic about 6 months ago, but I took it down shortly thereafter because I felt so embarrassed about writing it. But then, after ruminating on it for several months, I came to a few conclusions: 
> 
> 1) This was my first time writing something explicit, and I'm actually quite proud of how it turned out.   
> 2) I'm already going to hell for a number of reasons, so this is just another drop in the bucket.   
> 3) I love sassy dom fairy Hakyeon and I've wanted to write him for ages, so it's cruel and unjust of me to leave him in the depths of my laptop to gather dust and never see the light of day. 
> 
> So I decided to repost it with no regrets. Enjoy.

 "Faeries, come take me out of this dull world, 

For I would ride with you upon the wind, 

Run on the top of the dishevelled tide, 

And dance upon the mountains like a flame." 

       -W.B. Yeats, The Land of Heart's Desire    

 

            The Queen of the Seelie Court had eyes that were an unsettling shade of violet, and Taekwoon flinched at the sound her long nails made as she drummed her fingers on the arm of her throne. She was regal in an intimidating way, with long silver hair piled atop her head and an expression that only the most intuitive of the fae could read. Taekwoon had never liked her and his palms were slick with sweat.

            “Remind me again why you’re here.” Her voice was velvet and ice.

            “Chancellor Park sent me.” Taekwoon swallowed. “About the war?”

            She raised a delicate brow. “Humans are not to get involved. I’m sure you know that.”

            “I do.” Taekwoon held up both hands, palms facing outward. “He’s just concerned that the Unseelie will start taking their aggression out on us.”

            “And as a Hunter, you cannot allow that of course.” She sighed. “I’m sympathetic to your plight, you know. It must be difficult protecting mortals from the beings of the Otherworld. But I’d prefer if you left this matter to us, and us alone.”

            Taekwoon inclined his head and tried to still his shaking hands. “I’ll relay the message.”

            The Queen’s smile was soft, but there was something dangerous underneath it that Taekwoon could nearly feel. He turned and left without another word.

****

            Soft sunlight filtering through the thin curtains woke him the next morning. He groaned and pressed a hand to his pounding head. Trips to the Otherworld always left him feeling groggy and disoriented, like a hangover without the pleasure of getting drunk. He shuffled to the kitchen and immediately started a pot of coffee. He pulled his favorite mug from the cabinet and moved to place it on the counter.

            “Glad to see you’re finally awake.”

            Taekwoon yelped and the coffee mug slipped from his fingers, shattering against the tile floor with a sound that rang in his ears. The voice had come from the living room, but he lived alone and had kept the door locked all night. His Hunter’s instincts flipped into action, and he grabbed a shard of ceramic from the floor as he crept out of the kitchen.

            There was a man on his couch, sitting with his legs crossed in a way that seemed effortlessly nonchalant. His skin was golden and smooth, and Taekwoon could see the glint of his evergreen eyes from across the room. A pair of wings was tucked neatly behind his back, and from his angle Taekwoon saw them shimmer purple and pink in the early morning light.

            “Good God, you’re not going to cut me with that, are you?”

            Taekwoon glanced at the ceramic shard in his hand and gripped it tighter. “Tell me why there’s a member of the fae in my living room, and I might reconsider.”

            The fairy laughed, and the sound was like bells on a clear summer morning. “Did you really think the Seelie Queen would send you away unsupervised?”

            Taekwoon took a step closer. “Unsupervised?”

            “I’m here to make sure you don’t meddle in the Otherworld’s raging war.” He sighed and looked toward the ceiling. “A glorified babysitter, really.”

            “I don’t need supervision.”

            “The Queen seems to think otherwise.”

            Taekwoon could feel the ceramic biting into the skin of his palm and he loosened his grip before it could draw blood. “I want you to leave.”

            The fairy raised both eyebrows and stretched his long legs out in front of him, propping his feet up on the coffee table. “Sorry, but I can’t do that.”

            Taekwoon drew in a breath through his nose and tried to calm the lightning in his veins. All of his instincts were on high alert and adrenaline coursed through his body. He took another step forward, but the man didn’t flinch. “I don’t trust the Seelie Queen,” he said through gritted teeth.

            “No one does.” The fairy threw him a pitying glance. “But it doesn’t change the fact that she’s the Queen, does it? Whether or not we trust her makes no difference.”

            “So you’ll follow her orders like some sort of dog? Watching over a human can’t be high on your list of priorities.”

            The fairy’s lips turned down at the corners. “I’d rather be here than on the battlefield. Watching over you keeps me away from the war.”

            “So I’m just supposed to take this? Accept it without a fight?” Taekwoon’s blood began to boil as ire ran thick in his veins.

            The fairy laughed again. “If you really want to fight me, Taekwoon, then be my guest. I assure you I’ll win.”

            “I’ve taken down a fairy or two in my time. I wouldn’t be so cocky if I were you.”

            “Unseelie fairies who harmed humans, weren’t they?” The fairy tilted his head to one side. “Your hunting of them was allowed according to the law. Killing me, on the other hand, would bring down the wrath of the Seelie Court.”

            Taekwoon frowned and let the ceramic shard drop to the carpet. He knew the law better than anyone, and he had to admit the man was right. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “So what am I supposed to do then?”

            The fairy lifted one shoulder in a delicate shrug. “Go about your day as normal. I won’t get in your way.”

            Taekwoon scoffed. “I highly doubt that.” He padded back to the kitchen and swept up the broken ceramic. After pouring himself a cup of coffee, he headed into the living room and sat on the couch, as far from the fairy as the space would allow. It felt like entertaining an unwanted houseguest, and an awkward tension hung in the air like smoke. Taekwoon cleared his throat.

            “Hmmm?”

            “Do you… want a cup of coffee or anything?”

            The fairy smiled, just a slight curve of full lips. “Coffee is actually one of the few human foods I haven’t tried. I’m not sure I’ll like it; the smell alone has kept me away.”

            Taekwoon blinked, momentarily taken aback. “You eat human food?”

            “Not all of us do.” The fairy brushed a lock of dark hair from his forehead. “But I got just a little too curious. It’s not bad, really. I’m rather fond of sweet potatoes.”

            Taekwoon’s mind seemed to screech to a halt as everything he thought he knew about the fae disappeared into a mass of fire and smoke. He had never liked them much; the Unseelie were malevolent and fierce, and he had stopped their attacks on multiple occasions. The Seelie, while more benevolent, were mischievous and meddlesome to a startling degree. But he had never pegged them as the type to try human food, let alone enjoy it. He tried to reel in his surprise before it could show on his face. The fae were notorious for taking advantage of cracks in human emotion, and he still didn’t know what the one before him was capable of.

            “You’re surprised,” the fairy said with a grin. “I can tell.”

            Taekwoon frowned. “Don’t assume you know me.”

            “Well, I’ll have to get to know you, won’t I?” He held out a hand for Taekwoon to shake. “I’m Hakyeon, member of the Seelie Court. Nice to meet you.”

            Taekwoon glanced at his outstretched hand in distaste and took a sip of his coffee.

            Hakyeon drew his hand back with a frown. “The Queen warned me you’d be a tough one to deal with, but you won’t even shake my hand? How rude.”

            Taekwoon scoffed. “You fairies take offense too easily.”

            “And you humans don’t?” Hakyeon’s green eyes were bright.

            Taekwoon merely shrugged.

            Hakyeon made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat. “You are definitely the most infuriating human I’ve ever dealt with.”

            Taekwoon downed the rest of his coffee and decided to keep quiet.

            The day continued like that while Taekwoon caught up on the cleaning he had been neglecting: Hakyeon was constantly spouting nonsense, asking Taekwoon any and all questions that came to his mind in an effort to understand him. Taekwoon responded with noncommittal shrugs and hums, trying to block out the noise as best he could.

            The clock on the wall had nearly hit six, and Taekwoon was surprised at the silence that hung thick in the apartment. Hakyeon was at the glass door leading to the balcony, his forehead pressed against it as he stared outside.

            “Something interesting out there?” Taekwoon called from the kitchen. It was the first time Hakyeon had stopped talking all day, but Taekwoon knew that the fae’s emotions could change on a dime, and not always for the better. The sudden silence was unnerving and he could feel suspicion in his chest.

            “The sunset.” Hakyeon’s voice was surprisingly soft. “It’s beautiful.”

            Taekwoon blinked. “Haven’t you seen one before?”

            Hakyeon hummed. “I have several times, but every sunset is different, right? They’re all lovely in their own way.” He turned from the glass and motioned for Taekwoon to join him. “Come look.”

            “I’ve seen a million sunsets, Hakyeon.”

            “Just come look, stop being such a grump. You humans have a lot of stuff to appreciate, and you just ignore it like it’s nothing. It’s infinitely frustrating.” His wings fluttered against his back, as if they could feel his agitation.

            Taekwoon sighed and moved to stand next to him at the door. The sky was alight with cotton candy clouds dissolving on a fiery horizon, and he had to admit it was mesmerizing.

            Hakyeon reached for the door handle. “Can I go out?”

            “I don’t care.”

            Hakyeon grinned and pulled the door open, running to the balcony’s railing and stretching his hands out toward the sky. “I feel like I could touch the clouds from here.”

            Taekwoon followed and crossed his arms atop the railing. Hakyeon’s wonder bordered on childlike, and it was intriguing to imagine the world through his eyes. Taekwoon had been to the Otherworld a handful of times, and he hated its low ceilings and dark blue fairy light. It was a place that had become one with the earth, dripping with vines and vivid flowers that were lovely in their own right, but stifled by the confines of the land. It always made him feel claustrophobic and ill, so it was no wonder that Hakyeon was so entranced by the sky.

            “We could go to the roof if you want.” Taekwoon wasn’t sure what motivated him to say it, and Hakyeon’s eyes were wide when he turned around.

            “Can we?”

            They took the elevator to the building’s roof, and Hakyeon all but ran to the edge. Taekwoon had never found it particularly pleasant, just an average rooftop with metal clothing racks and a rickety plastic table, but to Hakyeon it seemed the picture of paradise. He placed his hands on the raised edge and stared as the sun continued to sink, and there was a smile playing around the edges of his lips.

            “This is amazing,” he said softly. He turned to Taekwoon. “Don’t you think so?”

            Taekwoon hummed when he couldn’t think of anything to say. The fiery pinks and yellows were caught in Hakyeon’s eyes, and his incandescent wings fluttered in excitement. A breeze blew his hair across his forehead and Taekwoon felt something he couldn’t explain. He pushed the feeling away, down and down as far as it could go, and watched Hakyeon until the sun disappeared below the horizon.

****

            A week passed and Hakyeon was still there, with his childlike wonder and his feet propped up on Taekwoon’s coffee table. He left on occasion to report to the Seelie Queen, and she sent him back with word that the war in the Otherworld continued to rage.

            “She should know by now that I won’t get involved,” Taekwoon muttered over breakfast one morning as Hakyeon nibbled on buttered toast and drank all of his orange juice. “I don’t think you’re really necessary anymore.”

            Hakyeon pouted at that. “That’s not very nice.”

            Taekwoon huffed and folded his arms. “You’re eating all my food.”

            “It’s not my fault you’re a fabulous cook.”

            Taekwoon frowned at the feeling in his chest that always seemed to present itself when he was around Hakyeon. It was an unsettling warmth that his brain identified as affection, but he took that label and threw it as far as it would go. Affection for a member of the fae? It was absolutely ridiculous.

            “You’re doing that thing again,” Hakyeon said around a mouthful of toast.

            “What thing?”

            “That thing where you stare at me like I’m a puzzle you can’t figure out.”

            “That’s because you are.” The words came out harsher than he had intended. “I feel so strange when I’m around you, it’s like--”

            Hakyeon’s eyebrows rose. “It’s like what?”

            Taekwoon felt his face flush and he looked away. “Nothing.”

            “You know, it’s not uncommon for humans to feel affection toward fairies,” Hakyeon said matter-of-factly. He nodded at Taekwoon over his glass of juice.

            “It’s not affection,” Taekwoon muttered, but the lie tasted bitter on his tongue.

            “You’re an open book to me, Jung Taekwoon. Don’t try to hide anything.”

            Taekwoon scowled. “You don’t know anything about me.”

            “It’s been a week.” Hakyeon stared at him pointedly. “I know enough.”

            Taekwoon folded his arms and turned away.

****

            He had a hunt that night, and he tugged on his black jacket and boots at the door.

            Hakyeon was on the couch with a book he had plucked from one of Taekwoon’s shelves, and he glanced up as Taekwoon pulled the door open. “Be safe,” he called.

            “No promises,” Taekwoon called back.

            The words played through his head on repeat as he stalked an ifrit in a dark alley. He pulled his sword from its sheath and rounded a corner to see it engulfed in blue flame, towering over the body of a murdered girl. Taekwoon murmured the appropriate prayer under his breath and the blade of his sword shone white-hot as he lunged toward the creature. It let out a sound like crackling fire and reared back, swinging toward him with incredible force.

            Taekwoon fell backward, catching himself with one hand in a stagnant puddle in the pockmarked asphalt. The water on the street sizzled as the ifrit moved closer, and clouds of steam obscured his vision. He lunged forward blindly, swinging his blade in a wide arc. He could feel the sword make contact and he pushed forward, further and further and further still until the beast dissolved into a cloud of acrid black smoke.

            He sheathed his sword and collapsed to his hands and knees, struggling to catch his breath. He felt a drop on his head, then two and three, and thunder rumbled in the distance as the rain began to fall in sheets.

            “Taekwoon?”

            He turned his head at the sound of Hakyeon’s voice. He stood at the entrance to the alley, dark hair plastered to his head with rain. He ran forward and extended a hand toward Taekwoon, his full lips turned upward in the slightest of smiles.

            Taekwoon took his hand and jumped as a shiver crawled down his spine. It was the first time he had ever touched Hakyeon, and the contact set his heart racing in the strangest of ways. He pulled himself to his feet and tried to tug his hand away, but Hakyeon clung to it with a steadfast grip.

            “Let’s walk like this,” he said softly.

            The rain fell cold and fast against their shoulders as they walked, passing in and out of yellow pools of light cast by streetlamps. The temperature had plummeted, but his hand was warm in Hakyeon’s, and goosebumps travelled up his arms.

            Hakyeon stopped abruptly, and Taekwoon tugged at his arm, impatient and eager to be home. Hakyeon tugged back and Taekwoon turned toward him. Their gazes locked, and Taekwoon was surprised that even in such pressing darkness, Hakyeon’s eyes shone bright and evergreen. Raindrops had caught in his lashes, and his hair fell in disheveled tangles across his forehead.

            “Taekwoon,” he breathed. “Do you know how beautiful you are?”

            Taekwoon froze and his breath did funny things in his chest. “What?”

            Hakyeon tugged at his arm again and Taekwoon stumbled one step closer. “You’re beautiful like this. Positively breathtaking.”

            Taekwoon swallowed and tried to speak, but no sound came out. He could feel the warmth radiating from Hakyeon’s body, could nearly taste him on his tongue, and he found himself wanting something he never could have imagined.

            “I’ve been wanting to try this,” Hakyeon whispered, the words an echo of Taekwoon’s own thoughts.

            Their lips met then, and Taekwoon thought he might pass out. Hakyeon was warm and sugar-sweet, and his fingers tangled in Taekwoon’s soaked hair, pulling him closer and then closer still. His lips parted on the softest of sighs and Taekwoon felt a shiver travel all the way down to his toes.

            Hakyeon pulled back then, only to press his lips to Taekwoon’s jawline once, twice, three times. Taekwoon let out a shaky breath and clutched at the fabric of Hakyeon’s shirt. He moved to kiss Taekwoon’s neck and hummed against the skin when Taekwoon pulled him closer.

            “I think we should go home,” Taekwoon gasped. Freezing raindrops pattered against his overheated skin and helped clear the overwhelming desire from his mind. He had begun to imagine Hakyeon’s fingers on his skin, warm and demanding, lower and lower as his teeth and tongue explored every inch and – what in the _hell_ was he thinking? He took a shaky step backward and Hakyeon let his hands drop to his sides.

            “Is something wrong?” Hakyeon’s eyes were dark with something heady and dangerous, and the way he caught his lip between his teeth made Taekwoon dizzy.

            “N-no, nothing,” he stammered, turning his gaze to the ground. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his tangled hair. He could still taste Hakyeon on his tongue, and his mind spun in a dozen different – equally dangerous – directions. He tilted his head back and let the rain dance across his closed eyelids. “Let’s go home,” he whispered.

            The walk back to Taekwoon’s apartment was silent, and there was a tension hanging between them like smoke. Hakyeon didn’t reach for Taekwoon’s hand again. The three feet of space between them felt like three miles. Taekwoon noticed how Hakyeon’s wings fluttered against his back, as if he were agitated and high-strung. But he said nothing, and Taekwoon tried his best to push away the desire that still surged through his veins. He knew that some members of the fae could manipulate human emotion; he couldn’t trust what he was feeling, no matter how real it seemed.

            He pushed open the door, kicked off his soaked boots, and unhooked his sword from his belt. Hakyeon closed the door softly behind him.

            “Hakyeon.” Taekwoon flinched at how vulnerable he sounded. He cleared his throat and started again. “Was any of that…” He let out a frustrated breath. “Was that magical manipulation just now?”

            He heard Hakyeon suck in a breath behind him. “I would never do that to you. Why would you even think--”

            “Because this isn’t normal!” Taekwoon spun around and Hakyeon shrank back against the door, eyes wide. “I shouldn’t be feeling this for you, it’s not _natural_.”

            Hakyeon’s eyebrows lowered. “I never said it was natural, Taekwoon. That doesn’t make it wrong.”

            “But the law--”

            “The law states that any relationship between a human and a member of the Otherworld is permissible so long as it is consensual,” Hakyeon recited, his eyes hard as jade. “Was that not consent just now?”

            “It was,” Taekwoon whispered, taken aback by the force in Hakyeon’s voice. His fingers had begun to shake. “But what I feel for you is so…” He let the sentence trail off into silence. The look in Hakyeon’s eyes was almost predatory, and he felt more vulnerable than ever.

            “So what, Taekwoon?” Hakyeon took a step forward.

            Taekwoon took a shaky step backward, and his back ended up pressed against the kitchen wall. “It’s overwhelming,” he gasped.

            “I’ll take it slow then.” Hakyeon’s voice was low and velvet-smooth. He placed his hands on the wall on either side of Taekwoon and pressed his lips against his in a kiss that was long and slow and sweet as honey. He ran his tongue along Taekwoon’s lower lip before catching it between his teeth.

            Taekwoon whimpered as his fingers curled into fists. He could feel every line of Hakyeon’s body pressed against his own, warm and inviting, and his heart ended up in his throat.

            “If at any point this isn’t okay, you need to tell me,” Hakyeon said softly. His teeth grazed Taekwoon’s jawline and Taekwoon had to grab the fabric of Hakyeon’s shirt to keep himself steady.

            “It’s okay,” he whispered as Hakyeon placed open-mouthed kisses along his neck. His heart hammered against his ribs and he pulled him closer, desperate for more of anything he was willing to give.

            “Needy, are we?” Hakyeon murmured against his collarbone. He bit at the delicate skin and Taekwoon was embarrassed by the whine that slipped past his lips. Hakyeon’s hands were underneath his shirt, trailing fire along his torso, and desire slid white-hot down his spine. He tugged at the hem of Hakyeon’s t-shirt, aching to feel warm skin against his own, and he yelped in surprise when Hakyeon tutted and slapped his hand away.

            “What if I told you,” he said, tone dark and dangerous, “that you need to wait for my permission?”

            Taekwoon swallowed and his fingers shook. “Your permission to do what?”

            “Everything,” Hakyeon breathed, tugging Taekwoon’s shirt up and over his head. “Because I do remember you telling me” – he pressed his lips to Taekwoon’s chest – “that you felt no affection for me. Do you remember that?”

            Taekwoon let out a shaky breath. He remembered it clearly, but breathing alone was proving to be a struggle, and he knew his voice would shake if he tried to speak. He simply nodded and tightened his hold on Hakyeon’s shirt.

            Hakyeon was eye-level with him then, his fingers twisting in his hair and tugging his head back. Taekwoon cried out in surprise. Hakyeon’s lips were hot against his ear and his scalp burned from the force of his hands in his hair.

            “I asked you a question, Taekwoon. I’d like to hear an answer.”

            “Yes,” Taekwoon choked out. “I remember.”

            “You remember what?”

            Taekwoon swallowed thickly and squeezed his eyes shut. “I remember saying I felt no affection for you.”

            Hakyeon hummed against his ear. “And that was a lie, wasn’t it?”

            “Y-Yes.”

            “Do you know what fairies do to humans who lie?” Hakyeon whispered. He untangled a hand from Taekwoon’s hair and instead used it to rake his fingernails down his back. Taekwoon shuddered and whined at the sensation.

            “N-no, I don’t know.”

            “We punish them,” Hakyeon breathed. “And I think you deserve to be punished.” He pressed his lips to Taekwoon’s again, measured and slow, and a shudder crawled down Taekwoon’s spine.

            “Can I,” Taekwoon gasped. “Can I take your clothes off?” His face burned as he asked the question and he moved to hang his head in embarrassment, but Hakyeon grabbed his chin and pressed a kiss to his jawline.

            “Yes you can.”

            Taekwoon moved slowly and carefully, tugging at Hakyeon’s shirt gently to accommodate his delicate wings. Hakyeon’s breath came harsh and fast against his skin, and he was rewarded with the smallest of gasps when he moved to the waistband of his jeans.

            “Maybe we should take this somewhere else,” Hakyeon whispered. He guided Taekwoon to the bedroom with insistent hands and closed the door behind them, pressing Taekwoon against it hard enough to rattle it against the frame.

            Taekwoon gasped at the force and lost his grip on Hakyeon’s jeans, pressing his hands against the door to steady himself. Hakyeon pressed his lips hot and slow against Taekwoon’s chest and down the expanse of his torso, and Taekwoon felt dizzy. His breath came in harsh gasps when he looked down to see Hakyeon on his knees in front of him, and he squeezed his eyes shut when Hakyeon tugged his jeans and boxers to the floor.

            He knew what was coming, and he could feel the flush on his face creeping down his neck and shoulders, but nothing prepared him for the heat of Hakyeon’s mouth on him. He cried out in surprise and tangled his hands in Hakyeon’s hair, letting his own head fall back against the door as he struggled to breathe. Hakyeon did something positively sinful with his tongue and Taekwoon’s knees went weak. A moan, high and needy, slipped past his lips, and he pulled Hakyeon’s head back with all the force he could manage.

            “I can’t,” he gasped. “I can’t stand like this.”

            Hakyeon’s evergreen eyes flashed and he pressed his lips to Taekwoon’s inner thigh. “Lie down, then,” he murmured. He rose to his feet and his hands were on Taekwoon’s shoulders, pushing him backward onto the bed with a surprising amount of force. He stepped out of his own jeans and came to hover over Taekwoon with both of his hands on either side of Taekwoon’s face.

            “I’m going to try something,” Hakyeon said quietly. “If it’s not okay, I want you to tell me. Do you understand?”

            “Yes.” Taekwoon’s heart was in his throat. He could feel Hakyeon’s breath against his lips and was aching to taste him and feel his body pressed flush against his own. The desire was stronger than he had anticipated, and he felt lightheaded with the force of it.

            Magic sparked golden on Hakyeon’s fingertips. Taekwoon could feel the warmth radiating from it, and a dozen questions flooded his mind. “What--”

            “Shush,” Hakyeon breathed against his ear. “You don’t have permission to ask questions, do you?”

            Taekwoon swallowed and kept quiet.

            “I want you to put your hands above your head, wrists together.”

            Taekwoon did as he was told, stretching his arms above his head with his wrists touching.

            “Good boy,” Hakyeon whispered, and the unexpected praise made the blood rush to Taekwoon’s face. He turned his head to the side and bit his lip to keep quiet.

            Hakyeon pressed his fingers to Taekwoon’s wrists, and white-hot lightning wrapped around them, binding them together like sizzling rope. He gasped at the sudden heat and tried to pull his wrists apart, but the bond was stronger than his efforts.

            “Is it okay? It doesn’t hurt?” Hakyeon’s eyes were wide, and Taekwoon felt affection surge through his chest at his concern. For all of his demands and shows of force, he was still surprisingly gentle with Taekwoon, and the thought nearly brought tears to his eyes.

            “It’s okay.”

            “Good.” Hakyeon kissed Taekwoon then, long and slow, bringing his hands up to tangle in his hair. “You did so well,” he whispered against Taekwoon’s lips. “You’re so good for me, you know.”

            Taekwoon whimpered at the words and Hakyeon smiled.

            “You like it when I praise you.” It wasn’t a question.

            Taekwoon bit his lip as his face flushed, and he turned his head to the side again to avoid Hakyeon’s gaze.

            Hakyeon caught his earlobe between his teeth and drew his fingernails down to Taekwoon’s waist. He was close – _so close_ – and Taekwoon arched his back, desperate to feel Hakyeon’s hands on him.

            Hakyeon’s hand came down hard against his skin, and the sound of the slap rang in Taekwoon’s ears as fire bloomed where he had been struck. He gasped at the pain, and Hakyeon’s eyes were hard when he looked at him.

            “Stay still.” His tone was all hard edges and ice. “You don’t have permission to move.”

            “You never said that--”

            “I’m saying it now. Stay still and keep quiet.” He drew his tongue from the base of Taekwoon’s throat all the way along his jawline before whispering: “You can do that for me, can’t you, Taekwoon?”

            The injustice of the situation simmered in Taekwoon’s veins, but the thought of Hakyeon’s praise sent shivers skittering down his spine, and he bit his lip to keep quiet.

            “Good boy,” Hakyeon breathed again, and Taekwoon had to squeeze his eyes shut and swallow back the whimper that rose in his throat.

            Hakyeon’s hands were still at his waist, toying with him, pressing his fingernails into the skin only to pull them back a second later. And Taekwoon hadn’t seen him grab the lube from the bedside table drawer – how had Hakyeon even known it was there? – but he felt Hakyeon’s fingers inside of him, warm and slick, first one and then two and three. It took every ounce of willpower he had to stay silent, and his jaw began to ache with the effort.

            “You’re doing so well,” Hakyeon whispered, pressing a kiss to his inner thigh.

            Hakyeon’s fingers weren’t enough, and Taekwoon could feel the need for more strong in his chest, radiating to the tips of his fingers and toes. His fingers curled inward above his head, his fingernails digging sharp crescents into his palms. Tears began to prick the corners of his eyes, and he considered ignoring Hakyeon’s demands entirely and begging him for more.

            As if he could read his thoughts, Hakyeon’s eyebrows rose and he pressed in deeper. “Beg for it.” His voice was velvet-soft. “I want you to beg for it.”

            “Please,” Taekwoon gasped, his voice breaking. “More, please more.”

            “Tell me what you want, Taekwoon.”

            “I want you.” He sounded vulnerable and weak, but couldn’t bring himself to care. Desire coiled in the pit of his stomach, heavy and hot and demanding. “I need you, Hakyeon, _please--_ ”

            Hakyeon withdrew his fingers and hovered over Taekwoon, his eyes hooded and dark with want. He pressed into Taekwoon slowly, and he buried his face in the crook of Taekwoon’s neck, his breath ragged and harsh against his skin. His fingernails dug into Taekwoon’s hips and the softest moan fell from his lips.

            “God, Taekwoon,” he breathed.

            Taekwoon’s back arched despite Hakyeon’s instructions to stay still, and a high, keening moan passed through his lips. His breath caught in his throat then as Hakyeon began to move, a slow and deliberate rocking of his hips, and Taekwoon could feel jolts of pleasure skitter along his spine. But it wasn’t enough – it still wasn’t enough – and his entire body was alight with the white-hot desire for more.

            “Hakyeon,” he gasped, the second syllable falling away into a broken moan. “More, please, _please_.”

            And Hakyeon pushed him back roughly until his back collided with the headboard. He pressed in deeper, his hips stuttering against Taekwoon’s, broken moans falling from his lips as he buried his face in Taekwoon’s neck.

            There it was – _there_ – and pleasure blossomed in the pit of his stomach, radiating downward until his toes curled into the sheets. And he wanted more of Hakyeon, wanted his hands tangled in his hair, digging into his skin –

            “Can I touch you?” His voice broke halfway through, and Hakyeon rocked his hips again and Taekwoon saw stars. “H-Hakyeon, I want to touch you.”

            Hakyeon brought a hand up to Taekwoon’s wrists, and the magic faded with a hiss. Taekwoon’s arms ached as they fell back to his sides, and he instantly tangled his fingers in Hakyeon’s hair. Hakyeon’s lips were pressed against Taekwoon’s neck as breathy moans and gasps fell from him. He whispered Taekwoon’s name and tilted his head back.

            Taekwoon dropped his hands from Hakyeon’s hair and raked his fingernails down his back, the sides of his hands brushing past his delicate wings. Hakyeon shuddered and gasped, and Taekwoon took the opportunity to press open-mouthed kissed along his throat. He could feel pleasure rising in his stomach, reaching up through his chest and clouding his vision and he was close, _so close_ —

            “Hakyeon, can I--” The question broke as another moan fell from his lips, high and keening, and his fingers curled against Hakyeon’s skin. “Can I please--”

            “Yes, Taekwoon, yes,” Hakyeon gasped.

            And he tumbled over the edge as pleasure shot white-hot up his spine. His fingers and toes curled inward and his back arched, his chest pressing hard against Hakyeon’s as he moaned and gasped for air.

            Hakyeon followed, his entire body shuddering and his fingernails digging hard into Taekwoon’s skin. Taekwoon’s name fell from his lips again and again, and he buried his face deeper into Taekwoon’s neck as he came down.

            They stayed like that for minutes that stretched into lifetimes. Taekwoon’s breathing evened out and he pressed soft kisses to Hakyeon’s shoulders.

            Hakyeon pulled back and carded his fingers gently through Taekwoon’s hair. “You were so good,” he whispered, leaning forward to press his lips against Taekwoon’s. “Such a good boy for me.”

            Taekwoon flushed and pulled back to bury his face in Hakyeon’s shoulder.

            A breathy laugh escaped Hakyeon as he moved to the side and pulled the comforter up to Taekwoon’s waist. “How about we lay down for now?” He snuggled deep into the blankets and tugged at Taekwoon’s arm.

            Taekwoon slid down until the comforter reached his chin, and Hakyeon instantly moved to wrap an arm around him.

            “How do you feel?” Hakyeon asked softly. “Are you okay?”

            Taekwoon hummed and let his eyes slip closed. “Better than okay.” A heavy exhaustion had settled in his limbs and he felt himself sink into the mattress.

            Hakyeon tugged at Taekwoon’s arm again, pulling it free of the blanket and examining his wrist closely. There was a faint red line where the magic had touched his skin, and Hakyeon drew his finger across it. “I didn’t hurt you, right?”

            Taekwoon shook his head and felt his face flush at the memory.

            Hakyeon let out a breath and pressed his lips to Taekwoon’s wrist again and again, and Taekwoon caught a fleeting glimpse of his mouth curved into the smallest of smiles before he fell into the velvety blackness of sleep.

****

            The war raging in the Otherworld had come to a bloody end, and the Seelie Queen called for Hakyeon’s return. The goodbye was tearful on Hakyeon’s part, and Taekwoon’s heart ached at the sight of him crying.

            “I’ll come back as soon as I can,” Hakyeon had said, gripping Taekwoon’s hand as if it were the only thing keeping him tethered to the earth. And Taekwoon had believed him.

            A week passed, then two and three, and Taekwoon realized how empty his apartment seemed without Hakyeon. The ceilings were too high, the walls were too far apart from each other, and the floor stretched into infinity without his presence to fill the room. He felt as if someone had reached into his chest and shoved his heart down through the ground, and every new day brought with it the newfound struggle to breathe.

            It was one of those nights where his heartbeat echoed in the silent room and he had to swallow back tears more than once, and he decided to go to the roof. He needed air, he needed the infinite space that Hakyeon had never filled and the cold wind on his face. The elevator doors slid back and he stepped into the chilly night air.

            He stood like that for minutes that could have been hours, his head tilted toward the sky where faint pinpricks of light skirted the light pollution. The breeze was bitter cold and he could feel goosebumps rising along his arms. He could remember Hakyeon up here, the pinks and oranges of the sunset reflecting in his eyes as he smiled that dazzling smile. And it hurt, it hurt _so much_ —

            “Taekwoon?”

            He whirled around, heart in his throat, and he was there. Hakyeon was there in front of him with his golden skin and his eyes that flashed in the suffocating blackness. Hakyeon was _there_ , reaching for Taekwoon’s hands and sighing at the feeling of their fingers intertwining.

            And for the first time in weeks, Taekwoon felt like he could breathe.


End file.
